Storm [LAMS demigod AU]

Alex

TW: Violence, sickness mention, death mention, implied trauma/PTSD

A/N: Reyna giving Alex Hector the Pegasus as a gift is a parallel to Historical John giving Historical Alex Hector the Horse as a gift. Unfortunately John giving him Hector didn't fit with the story but ENJOY HECTOR'S CAMEO! Apparently Historical John gave Historical Alex Hector because his red fur reminded him of Historical Alex's red hair. Isn't that cute? 

Alexander Hamilton was terrified.

When Reyna, the Praetor of the Twelfth Legion and the single most intimidating human being Alex had ever met, wanted to talk to you in private, it meant one of two things: she was kicking you out of the legion, or she was going to kill you slowly and painfully.

Alex wasn't sure which one he'd prefer.

One year ago, on January 11, which just happened to be Alex's birthday, he and his cohort had fought a particularly intense battle against some very unhinged drakons. They'd been all but doomed, but Alex's last-minute battle strategy had saved their asses and led them to victory. After the battle was over, the legionnaires had raised Alex on a shield and named him Praetor.

Reyna had draped his cloak over his shoulders and pinned the medallions to his shirt. All had been fine and dandy.

But even after a year of working with her, Reyna still terrified him.

It wasn't even that she tried to be intimidating. She just was.

The way she carried herself, the way she spoke, the dagger strapped to her waist and the two metal dogs that followed her around. Everything about her seemed to say "I could brutally murder you and your dead body would thank me."

Alex walked into the room and sat down beside Reyna. Her dagger was resting on the table in front of her. Her two dogs, Aurum and Argentum, were sitting on opposite sides of her chair. They regarded him with their cold metallic eyes.

Reyna claimed that they could sense whether or not someone was lying. Alex wasn't sure if that was true or not. He wasn't dumb enough to lie to Reyna.

"Whatever it is I swear I didn't do it." Alex said.

Reyna laughed. "Why do you assume that I'm mad at you whenever I want to talk to you in private?"

"Because you're scary." Alex said, cracking a smile.

Reyna dramatically put her hand on her chest, pretending to be shocked and offended. "Me? Scary? Why I'm as meek as a lamb."

"You're as scary as the wolf hunting the lambs."

Reyna smiled wearily. Alex could tell that she was tired. Nobody else would have been able to tell, but Alex knew her well enough to know that she probably hadn't slept very well last night.

"You okay?" Alex asked. "You look tired."

"I didn't get much sleep last night." Reyna admitted. "Octavian woke me up in the middle of the night with a very urgent message."

Alex wasn't a particularly spiritual person, but Octavian definitely gave him bad vibes.

He and Reyna's favorite hobby as praetors was drinking hot chocolate and making up nicknames for Octavian.

So far Alex held the record for the best one: Walmart Augustus Caesar. Alex felt like he deserved it, not just for coming up with it but explaining to Reyna what Walmart was and why calling someone the Walmart version of something was an insult.

Alex was going to make a joke, but he saw from Reyna's expression that she was serious.

"What did he tell you?"